a walk in the park

I took this picture a few weeks ago, late in the afternoon on the way home from a walk in the park with Grace. In hindsight, this was the last week before winter really settled into greyness. We're having a damp, cold winter. There are floods some parts of the the country and cautious talk that maybe we might be moving to a La Nina weather pattern, which might signal the beginning of wetter conditions and the end of the drought. For some reason, I'm finding this winter much harder than last. I'm trying not to, but I am. It feels a bit wimpy when you consider that winter isn't really that harsh here. We get fog and frost but not snow (except on some mountains about an hour and a half away by car). Days are short, as in it gets dark around half past five, but there's often good strong light in the middle of the day. Some days it's even quite sunny with lovely blue skies. Often enough though, it's just grey and all I want to do is stay inside by the heater. Maybe it's natural to turn inward during winter, a natural low point in the calender.

Lots of things are going to change over the next year (funny how I often think of the year in terms of the financial year, but it kind of makes sense to me to start the new year after the winter solstice). I've committed to increasing my hours at work from next week. Not quite full time yet, but close enough. Four longish days most weeks, a three day week every month. This was something I was dreading but now I think I might actually enjoy it. I work with some pretty decent people and the work, although hard at times (especially when you're a bum on a seat like I am) is rewarding. Sometimes I get to make a difference and I like that. Not to mention the money, which is also pretty useful. I worry about how I'm going to fit everything in, but I guess I'll just have to do less of some things. There'll still be plenty of time for going to the park.

I had intended to write about how important the park near our house had become in our life, along with how much I love this row of gum trees but you can see that here. And see more environments here. And it's mostly summer over on that side of the internet, which I find strangely cheering.

Hi Janet,Thank-you so much for posting this photo I love it, just love it so..Funnily it is grey and wet up here in the UK and it is supposed to be summer?!-feeling a little out of sorts too more to do with friends back down in Melb I'd like to see..I find you blog very comforting and cant wait until Iam back in those parts.I send warm thoughts on those changes you can only give it a go and see how it 'fits'Sian

That is a beautiful picture of you.That's the picture you want to find of your mum long after she's gone, and gasp at the beauty of the woman, rather than seeing the mother.Well, that's what I think, anyway.